Vehicle signal



Jan. 1, 1935. w v, AN 1,986,732

VEHICLE S IGNAL Filed Oct. 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

.24; 3f Weldmn V Lane 42 m ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 1, 1935. w. v. LANE I 1,986,732

VEHICLE SIGNAL Filed 00*. 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 FIG. 4. FIG. 5. l3 l3 /3 6 2 L 9 INVENTOR.

WEllfll TlV Lane .BYZ

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 1, 1935 T N OFFICE 1 VEHICLE SIGKAL wemonv. Lane, Asbury Park, N. J; Application october 18, 1932, Serial No. 638,367 it it a a The present inventionrelates to vehicle signals? and'the 1 primary object of the invention is to provide animproved construction for signals of V thischaracter adapted to displayvarious warnr .ingsignals both forwardlyand. rearwardly of-the gvehiele "upon which the signal isimounted.

l Atfurther object of the invention is to provide aitvehicle;signal whereina seriesof signal com- \partments'are arranged radiallyabout a central ,ilo 'cor'npartment havinghan opening to one side of 'thesignal casing and permitting ready and easy making of electrical connections o the separate ignallamps of thecompartmentsi; 6.

' A furtherobjectresides the? novel construc- 45- =tion of the signalpermitting reafdy and easyas- 'sembling and dismembering of thesignal, as well i: as allowing for easylrenewing of parts.

A further object resides in the novel} manner of dividing the signal casing intotia' seriesy-of inr go'tdependentsignal compartments land a wiring or terminal compartment by: a separator providing a combined lampand signal panel support,.and themanner inwhich the signal panels are firmly 1 i v held against displacement at each side .of the ra'dially arranged signal; compartments; 6 A still 1 further object of the invention is: to provide a 1 vehicle signal of-this character vvlrrich"will be extremely neat'in appearance,strong' and du- W rabl'e, and a signal whichfmay be'readilymounted n upon various portions of a motor vehiclesfor disr playing signals both forwardly and 'rearwardly A thereof." it l l Other objects and advantages of theinvention will'b'e apparent during-the course of thetfollowe ingdetaileddescription taken inconnection with the f accompanying drawings forming a" part of this specification and in whichdrawings:--*

' Figure 1 is a front plan'view of the improved a l vehicle signal an'dfshowing the manner of mount- M ing the signal. 6

Y "Figure zfis an enlargedsectional view.

I Figural; is an enlarged transverse section, on v the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

' Figure'4 isaview 1ookingat the inner edge A5 or the signal and showinga fragmentary portion QbrQken-aWayr 1 Figure 5 1s aviewlookingat the outer edge of the signal andshowing the arrangement for retaining the hinged doors 6 closed by a single fas- FY50 tening m'eans. a

i Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on thelineG-S ofFigurelr v i Figure '7 is a plan'view of the -separator for I removable positioning in the signal casing.

155 11 i Referring to" the drawings detailand wherei F 01aims.) 56

leading into the signal casing A The hinged doors or covers in similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the severalviews, the improved signal comprises a-casing A' of hexagonal shape in plan andembodying a main body portion 8 having its open sides closed by frontand 415 rear covers 9 and 10 respectively. 1 Removably fitting in the casing A'is a combined separator and support B for dividingthe'signal easing into a series of signal compartments and a wiring compartment extending to one side of the signal iO casing n v n in The'main body portion 8 is preferably cast or molded from metal or other suitable material-and is of hexagonal shape providing sixfiangularly arrangedwalls of equal area; This formation of 6135 "the body portions provides inner and outer side walls 11 and 12 respectively; fromthe upper ends of i which extend the upwardly converging top walls 13, and from thelower ends of which extend the downwardly converging bottom walls 120 143 The body portion 8 is open at'bothits front and. rear sidesand'will permit of the sep'arator Bbeing inserted thereinto from either 'open side of the body portion.

I Cast integral with the hody portion 8andpro- 25 iecting from the inner sidewallllis a tubular supporting or bracket arm15 for mounting" of the signal casingsuch as upon a portion ofa vehicle as indicated at16 f This tubular bracket arm 15also serves to conceal the electric wires 30 9 and 10 area1 so cast or molded from metalor other suitable 'ma terial and these covers 9 and 10respectivelyprovide front and rearcasing display walls for dis-"335 playing like signals both forwardly and rearwardlyof the casing. The covers 9 and 10 are each of hexagonal shape in plan andprovidedat their marginal edges with a flange 1'7 which-engages with asnug fit over the outside of the cas-"MO ing body portion 8. These covers are each hingedly connected'at the flange along their inner straight edges byhinges 18"to the inner side wall 11 of the casing bodyportion so that each cover may swing independently of the companion-covert? Carriedbythe outer orface edge ofeachcover is a flat fastening strip '19 slottedas at 20 to receive a threaded fastening stud 21 rigidly secured tothe center portion of the outer casing wall 12. When the covers are both closed over the open sides of the casing body portion; the bifurcated ends of thestrips 19 overlap one another as clearly shown in it Figure 5 with the studs 21 projecting through the aligning slots 20. A knurled retaining nut 22 threaded on-the stud. 21 actsto bi1'id-,.55

. 9 and 10.

open hexagonal-like central portion 24 being open.

the ends of the strips 19 upon one another and against the casing wall 12 as in Figure 2 whereby both of the covers 9 and 10 are held closed by the single retaining nut 22.

Referring now to the specific construction and formation of the combined separator, lamp and signal panel support B for dividing the casing A into a series of independent signal compartments and a wiring or terminal compartment, the same is preferablymadegfrom a suitable'gauge of sheet metahand 0f arsize to slidably fitin the casing body portion 8 and be securely held by the covers The separator B is formed with can along one side and providing a series of five angularly related lamp supporting rplates 25am ranged parallel to the casing walls 12, 13 and 14:.

Extending radially from-the hollow central portion 24 at the ends of the plates 25 ispar-series of v six partitioning plates 26, the outer ends of which slidabl-y :iit :in :the ianglesiol the hexagonal casing 'ihody portionzS; ilheseipartitioning plates 26'may bezsoldered :or iotlrenwise secured :at their inner (edges itntthe lC.en bEa;1lp.0ntiQIJ-'l24:, and if so desired, 'ithelipartiti'oning-iplates which :extend'jfrom the copenvside ofithelnentral portion to the .angles at :theiends dfitheiinnencasing wall gLl mayrbezformed .wintegral :wiith-theoentrahportion as shown.v The '.eseparatorbBs'when positioned in the casing 1A provotieles azseriesiof isenanatesignal pompartmentsflll,

28, 29, 30 and 31 arranged about a central or :vaxialicompartment 3-2.;anda terminal compartment:esiextendingsfiromithe :open side of the cen- 'ttrall pontion 24'totl1he inner :side wall :11 of the casing. 1 As will be, :observed, these signal com- H nrtments are :of wedge-shape and converge *towarddthetaxisrof the signal casing. ."The partitioning, ED131198 2.6 are slightly wider than the casingsbody 410117101118 ;as clearly shown ;Fignres:-4.;and i6 and have secured thereto alon ljoppositeqsidesrof itheir ffrontzand rear edges,

oizoppositely arranged .clmnnel-shaped retaining clips 35 which extend from the supporting plates 25 71 0. ilaoihtsrolqsely adjacent :the outer fiends M the martit oning zplates. .As will be observed .from Fig-me16',:these channel-shaped clips .35 :are ,sepwiedibytheir web-or base tpfirt ions to the ;.parti- (tipnin g'platesas shy soldering, welding or {the like. -E h,ese'='ohanncls 35 ,are of .a yieldable or spring nature for a purpose :to Joesubsequently-explained.

' ,Eachsetpfphannels35 and 137., at each side of ,ithe separator J3, is-adapted toslidably receive a -;signal panel .40 preferably formed of glass and I appropriately ecolored, with the companion pairs of signal panels colored "alike. 65.

These signal tpimelsr-lfl are of. substantially wedge-shape and have their conv rgin edges engaging with a wed ingnt theoonverging retaining channel- -.s.enar.ator 1-3v in 'positieninthe casing A, the outer "shanedelips 135., and with theshorter inner edges .offibhe panels -engagingin. the :stop channels 37. When thesignal panels are thus in place, andthe long ed es of the :nanels x nd u w h t 011 81 snrfacespf the lea-sing walls 12, :13 and 14 .as i'shown'in-il fi ure 3:80 that the separator is heldlagainst;displacement-in theieasing body-portion by the outer edges of the signal panels. With this arrangement, when the covers 9 and 10 are'closed, the cover flanges 17 so engage the outer edges of the signal panels as to prevent possible displacement of the panels.

By so having the retaining channels of the spring or yieldable nature, the channels may be caused to firmly grip the tapered sides of the signal panels as shown in Figure 6. This not only prevents rattlingjiif 'the panelsibutalsmprevents the lower signal panels for-thesignal compartments 30 and 31 from falling out when the covers 9 and ELO are opened.

,..R.eierring now to the construction of the covers '9 and 10 permitting display of like signals both Jorw2131 15 andzrearwardly of the signal, each cover is provided in itsdisplay wall with a series of sight :fl'ihns roover'portions A3 and Mzserve 'to con-' ceal all :wiring :in the signal casing. While :any ifiorzn ofletteringenriother signalling indicia;may

- lhezproridediit dspreierred that letters he formed. iin rthe'zsight .;openings 42 from the material of the coyersaresmade. :In-the example-illus- :trated, the; letter R together with :an arrow is iormed in the sight ropeningsfor the signalx-compartment 2'7 .toiriesignatera right tum; :the .letter formed inorthe. sight :openings :for the signal compartment :28 designating :caution; the :let-. iter together with an; arrow formed in the sight openings .for the compartment 29 designating .a

thezletter Stunned in the :sight openings fidrrizhescompartmentgm) designating fstop, and ithe letteriBxiormed'zin the sight openings :for thercoxnpartmentzfilw designatingrtbackf.

"and :bexond-the edges of the body portion -8; sets sSecured; :lneaoh :of the rsupportingtplates 25 vhf. the separator 23 is an .releotric-isocket :50 for tmormting of an electric glamp 52 in 3011 of the 'signal compartments 21711;!) ;31., 1 An electric icable,

,5e'iextends throngh the, tubular supporting arm .15..;int0.'?the' terminal compartment .33 where ibranch wires;55.are monnected to the various signa'l-jlamps j52'ztlmough the sockets 5.0.. The lamps :52 mayhe controlled vrby'za-ny preferredswitching "arrangement:fiorrselectivelycontrolling zthe'lamps.

Thus it will be seen that a vehicle signal has been pros/aided which Will be. extremely .neat in appearance, strong .in itsrmecha/nical make-up,

and embodying an arrangement whereby the in-- diviclual: signals are compactly grouped :Eor effectivelyriiisplaying a number of warning signals without ohjectionablytincreasing the size of the signal. I it wiilalso be apparent that :a novel and simple arrangement is provided for. securely ;re-

ing a main body portion open at its ,front and rear. sides; a ,pair, of covers 'iorolosing the open sides and each having a marginal-flange for overlying the main body portion, -.a.=separat or fitting into the main 'body'lportion embodying radially extending partition inlates providingxa series of annularly i grouped signal compartments, radially entending n, j retaining channels carried by the separator be yond the plane of the front and rear edges of the main body portion, andsignal panels slidably fit-, ting between companion pairs of the retaining channels to be engaged at their outer edges by the flanges of said coverswhen closed over the at its front and rear sides and display walls closing the open sides of the main body portion, a

main body portion.

,2. A vehicle signal comprising a casing including a polygonal-shaped main body portion open separator slidably fitting in the main body portion embodying a series of radially arranged partitioning plates fitting at their outer ends in the angles of the main body portion and joined at their inner ends by a central portion, retaining channels secured along the front and rear edge portions of the partitioning plates, signal panels slidably fitting in the retaining channels, and

signal'lamps supported by said central portion between adjacent pairs of partitioningplates;

3. A vehicle signal comprising a casing including a hexagonal-shaped main body portion open merit into the central portion.

ings, a separator in the casing embodying a central portion open at one side and radially arranged partitioning plates fitting at their outer ends in the angles of the main body portion, said central portion and partitioning plates providing 1 signal compartments for the sight openings and a terminal compartment communicating with the open side ofthecentral portion and extending to one sidewall of the main body portion, said side wall having an opening into the terminal compartment, a signal panelbetween the partitioning plates for each signal compartment at thefront and rear edges of the partitioning plates,

retaining means for said signal panels, signal lamps supported by said central portion foreach of the signal compartments, and conductors for the signal lamps extended thru the opening in saidside wall and thru the terminal compart- WELDON v. LANE. 

